Saiyaara star Aneet Padda juggled auditions and DU exams. Director was sure she will fail exams. But she proved him wrong

Time of India

3 days ago

About Aneet's education
About Saiyaara
While Aneet Padda 's rise to stardom may seem like a dream run, director Mohit Suri recently revealed just how casually the young actor balanced auditions with academics—and still nailed both. Speaking to Bollywood Bubble, Suri recalled her effortless approach during her early auditions for Saiyaara He recalled that the first audition he saw of Aneet Padda was a self-tape on a mobile phone. Later, she was called for a proper audition. According to the director, Aneet used to visit, give her auditions and then go back to give her exams. What baffled Suri even more was her calmness. He even asked her once if she failed, but she replied casually, 'No, I passed.'Aneet's quiet confidence and grounded energy can be traced back to her roots. Born in Amritsar, Punjab, she completed her schooling at Spring Dale Senior School and later pursued a degree in humanities from Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University . Her early brush with the entertainment world came through advertisement commercials in Mumbai, which, as per Yash Raj Films, laid the foundation for her entry into showbiz.Before making waves in Saiyaara, Aneet had already begun to carve a space for herself in the industry. She made her Bollywood debut with a minor role in Salaam Venky (2022), starring Kajol. In 2024, she gained further recognition with her portrayal of Roohi in Amazon Prime Video's Big Girls Don't Cry , where she starred alongside Pooja Bhatt and Raima Sen. Her performance resonated with Gen Z audiences and earned her critical praise, cementing her position as a promising new voice in the industry.Aneet Padda's breakout moment couldn't have come with a bigger stage. Saiyaara, the romantic drama that marks her big-screen debut alongside fellow newcomer Ahaan Pandey, has emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the year, not just for its emotional storytelling, but for its historic box office numbers. Directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Yash Raj Films, the film has shattered expectations, collecting a massive ₹83 crore in India during its opening weekend alone.What makes Saiyaara's success truly remarkable is that it achieved these numbers without the pull of major stars or the boost of a holiday release. The film now holds the record for the biggest-ever opening day for a debutant-led movie, and it has also become Mohit Suri's most successful opener to date. In an era where romantic films often struggle to find their footing at the box office, Saiyaara has not only struck a chord with audiences but also redefined what a love story fronted by fresh faces can achieve. For Aneet, the film's soaring popularity has only amplified the buzz around her emotionally resonant performance as Vaani Batra, a young writer facing early-onset Alzheimer's disease.